Amusement park in San Antonio caters to special needs

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, March 31, 2010

SAN ANTONIO — Every child should get to swing — stomach dropping as momentum increases, that sudden upward arch with eyes squinting into the sun, followed by the knowledge that people really can fly.

But for kids in wheelchairs, that simple joy isn't always possible. In fact, a lot of playground and park experiences aren't available for those with special needs.

That's what makes Morgan's Wonderland in San Antonio a must-do vacation destination. With its grand opening planned for Saturday, Morgan's will be the world's largest park built specifically for children with cognitive and physical challenges.

The inspiration for Morgan's Wonderland originated in 2006 when San Antonio philanthropist Gordon Hartman watched his special-needs daughter, Morgan, who now is 16, and a group of children playing in a hotel swimming pool, said Bob McCullough, the park communications manager.

"Morgan appeared as if she wanted to take part in the fun, and the others exhibited a similar interest in interacting with Morgan. Unfortunately, the connection never materialized," McCullough said.

It was then Hartman began to dream of a place that fostered inclusion and promoted understanding, a safe place where children with disabilities and their friends and families could come to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Hartman and his wife, Maggie, donated $1 million in seed money for the park, and have since raised about $25 million to fund Morgan's Wonderland, he said.

Fifteen-year-old Miguel Castro and his mom, Sylvia Castro, of San Antonio have been to Wonderland twice to try the rides and explore the park in preparation for the park's official opening to the public. Miguel is like lots of other kids his age. He likes to watch movies, eat Chinese food and play video games. He attends high school, and he's on a bowling team. Unlike lots of other teens, though, he has spina bifida and needs a wheelchair.

"Well, I really liked Wonderland because it was a place where I could do stuff. I was really happy to have something that I could do," he said in a phone interview.

His favorite thing to do there? Swing, of course!

"He was able to do pretty much everything there," said Sylvia Castro.

She said it is a nice change for Miguel, who usually has to sit back and watch everyone else have fun.

At Wonderland, Miguel got to captain his own motorized pirate ship in the man-made lake, as well as play other water games. Miguel said he is looking forward to trying his skills at the lake's catch and release fishing the next time he goes.

The park's state-of-the-art technology also allowed Miguel to assert another common teen trait: the need to be independent.

"They have bands they put on you with GPS, so if I want to go off on my own I can," Miguel said. "They have scanners around the park, and when you want to see where everyone else in your group is, you scan the band and it shows you where they are in the park."

Sylvia Castro said the park is designed to promote shared family experiences. In other parks, she said, the wheelchair-accessible cars are up front or in back, and parents have to sit away from their children. At Wonderland, parents can sit with their kids on many of the rides, including the beautiful old-fashioned carousel and the train.

"The train is awesome; it goes all the way around the park," she said.

Miguel, who brought a 2-year-old friend along on his second visit, thinks the park is fun for little ones, too. "She cried when we left because she didn't want to go, she was having too much fun," he said.

McCullough said that's what he likes to hear.

"We want those without special needs to accompany individuals with special needs. The major theme of Morgan's Wonderland is inclusion," he said.

It's a place where everyone is included in the fun — parents with children, children with friends, he said.

In addition to the GPS wristbands, the park has lots of added safety features, including a secured entry and exit, public address and emergency notification systems, video surveillance, 8-foot perimeter fencing and employees at each station of the park.

The whole park is wheelchair-accessible. There are 25 attractions within the 25-acre park. There are rides, playgrounds, gardens, the eight-acre lake, a special-events center, a 575-seat amphitheater, a picnic area and rest areas.

A big bonus is the 18 ADA-compliant restrooms located within the park. All of the restrooms are air conditioned and heated. There are several family restrooms that have large benches for sitting or changing needs, and one even has a shower and clean-up area.

One of the park's highlights is the Sensory Village, where lights project onto a screen and move in accordance with movement. There also are themed spaces similar to the ones found in children's museums, such as the auto fix-it shop, grocery store and TV station that offer sensory stimulation through colors, lights, sounds and textures. Sand Circle is a play area where visitors get to scoop up sand and have "buckets"of fun.

In contrast, the nearby Garden Sanctuary offers a quiet retreat in the heart of the park. Rest areas are located throughout, including one designed for service dogs.

Other park features include Braille signage, a 3-D park model, a first-aid station, vending machines and seven acres of free parking.

Reservations required

Morgan's Wonderland guests are required to make reservations online or by phone before arriving at the park. The purpose is to prevent overcrowding and to ensure adequate numbers of staff members and volunteers are on hand to accommodate guests' needs.

"I've had several people contact me and ask me if the park is over-stimulating," Sylvia Castro said. "I did not think that is was. Because you are required to have a reservation, the park does not get overcrowded, they really want to ensure that. It also means you don't have to wait in long lines."

Individuals with special needs are admitted free of charge, and any accompanying family members, friends or caregivers pay $5 per person. Families/groups can also come to the park, but if there is no special-needs member of the group, the admission fee is $15 per person.

Morgan's Wonderland is located in Northeast San Antonio just off Interstate 35 at the intersection of Wurzbach Parkway and Thousand Oaks Drive.